In a free cursor type of user interface (UI), user input is mapped to a cursor position in a 2D or 3D screen space. The classic example for this type of user interface is the mouse-driven WIMP (Window, Icon, Menu, Pointer) UI that is commonly used in desktop or laptop computers.
In a highlight-driven type of UI, user input is mapped to the directional movement of a highlight in the screen space. One example of this approach is a remote control that is used to select a television program from a highlight driven navigation of a program menu. Also, game consoles, such as the Sony PlayStation 3, typically employ this method for system-level navigation systems.